27/6/34 Walsh Garden Tractor Q. See the photo
of my Walsh garden tractor, s/n D8513. I would like some
information as to when it was built, and the like. I have the plow,
cultivator, and disc for it. E. M. Konopik, 637 S. Columbia,
Seward NE 68434.

27/6/36 Stover and Bulldozer Pump Q. I have a
1926 Stoker engine with a Myers Bulldozer Pumping Unit. How many of
these engine-pump units were built? Cast into the pump is
'3x4,' and I assume this means the bore and stroke. Also
see the photo of a Stover pump jack that I've made into an
oilfield exhibit. Wayne R. Philpot, RR 1, Box 144-A, Santa
Anna, TX 76878.

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A. Myers was a very large builder of pumps like
yours, and we would guess that they built them by thousands upon
thousands. Even so, relatively few still remain-most of them have
long since been scrapped. Yours would be the 3 x 4 inch model, and
this size was one of the most popular it seems.

27/6/37 Witte Diesel Q. See the photo of a
Witte Diesel, s/n D 1951. It is a 6 HP model. Any information on
this engine, including operating instructions, will be greatly
appreciated. Bruce C. Siedentopf, 1659 Somerset Avenue,
Dighton, MA 02715.

A. The serial number information is available
from Mr. Robert A. Holman, Lister-Petter, 555 E. 56 Hwy, Olathe, KS
66061.

27/6/38 Farmall Information Q. I have a Farmall
tractor with the number AA J 7073 stamped on the block on the left
side, towards the front. Also on the block is cast 4-10-36. What
model and year tractor is this? It is on rubber and has round
spokes, both front and rear. Any information will be appreciated.
John Lang, Indian Head, Sask S0G 2K0 Canada.

A. We're not sure, since we can find no IHC
models with an AA prefix. The F-20 of 1936 would have used a TA
prefix, but the numbers for 1936 don't match up with the one
you have given. Is this the engine number or the chassis
number?

27/6/39 Red-E-Tractor Q. I have just acquired
my oldest garden tractor, and it is a Red-E-Tractor, Pat. No.
1,578,343 and No. 1,701,726. The motor is No. 8378. It was built by
Pioneer Mfg. Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and uses a Bosch MJC IB-2
magneto. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Dan
Holton, RR 2, Box 159D, Excelsior Springs, MO 64024.

27/6/40 LeRoi Engines. I have received some
information on LeRoi engines. First the color-if finished at the
factory it was gunmetal blue or battleship gray. In some cases, the
engines were shipped from the factory painted a red or yellow zinc
oxide primer, and later painted to match the equipment they were to
power. There is no service data to be had, and no parts available,
nor have I found any method of dating these engines. Francis
Kurtis, 618 Anderson Rd., Niles, Ml 49120.

A. If anyone has the above painting
information, please also pass it along to the Reflector!

27/6/42 Associated Engine Q. I'm writing in
hopes that someone might be able to supply information ona1? HP
Associated engine, s/n 341035; it has a 3? x 5 inch bore and
stroke. Any information or photocopies will be greatly appreciated,
as I have tried all my Australian contacts, but to no avail.
Grant Morris, 27 Maxwell St., Mossman 4873 Australia.

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27/6/43 Barco Inquiry Many thanks to Jim
Barker, PO Box 68, Zionsville, PA 18092 for sending along an old
instruction manual for a Barco Tamper. Those familiar with the
construction business in years gone by will remember seeing one of
these mankillers at work. As an IBEW journeyman, ye olde Reflector
was able to stay away from these outfits, but it always seemed to
us that operating one of these gas operated tampers was like
playing Russian roulette with a fully loaded chamber in the pistol!
We'll grant that they are an interesting curiosity appearing
every once in a while at a show, and we certainly commend those who
have taken the time and patience to restore and preserve them.
(However, ye olde Reflector has one of those gas-operated pogo
sticks, but we think it's missing some parts, and have never
tried to use it.)

27/6/44 Information Needed Q. What is the year
built for Witte engine 58773 and 56788? Also what is a good color
match for the red used on the F-M 'Z' engines with the
dishpan flywheels? Bill Hash, PO Box 261, Peterstown, WV
24963.

A. Both Witte engines were built in 1922.
We're guessing that DuPont 674 Red, the same as used on IHC and
Case, would be pretty close. Has anyone out there done a match on
FBM Red? If so, let us hear from you.

27/6/46 Leafrollers Beware!. The magneto spark
on my Case 25-45 was weak, so I had the magneto rebuilt. Great! The
old engine ran like new. The next week I went to run it, the spark
was not consistent. No. 3 was good, bad, or nothing. I spent three
hours checking things out. No loose or poor connections, new
plug??? Then I looked deep inside the distributor cap, where the
spark plug wire is held in place with a setscrew, and then I saw
the problem. There are two small weep holes in the bottom of the
distributor cap. A leaf roller insect had got up in there and built
a nest of mud and pieces of leaves on top of No. 3 connection. I
have been working with farm tractors since 1932 and there is
something new every week! Jack Mulford, 8894 Upper Lake Rd., Lodi,
NY 14860.

27/6/47 Witte Information Q. I have a 2 HP
Witte T/G engine which is missing the nameplate. Is there any other
place on the engine where the number might be stamped? If not, how
can I determine the age of the engine? Any information will be
appreciated. Gordon E. Hopper, 75 Kendall Ave., Framingham, MA
01701.

A. It may be stamped on top of the water hopper
or above the head', and it's remotely possible that it may
be stamped on the end of the crankshaft. If not located, we would
need a photo of the engine, and even then we could only approximate
its age.

27/6/48 Rock IslandQ. I have
a 2 HP Rock Island, s/n A40351, see photo. There isn't a part
on the engine that isn't stuck solid except the wheels on the
trucks. The crank on one side is badly bent, but I think I can
straighten it out, if the wheel isn't sprung also. I would like
to know the date of this engine, and the proper colors. I know the
main parts of the engine were brown, but it looks like the head,
rocker arm, and bracket were silver. Could that be how it came out
originally? Any other painting and striping information on this
engine would also be appreciated. Kent Zobel, Rt 1, Box 35-A,
Monroe, NE 68647.

A. We've never seen the Rock Island as
anything but brown. This doesn't mean that the scheme is
somehow incorrect-it could well have had the head, rocker arm, and
bracket in silver. We know of no way to date the engine from the
serial number.

27/6/49 Empire Tractor Q. After looking and
dreaming for five years, I finally broke down and purchased a 1948
Model 88, Empire tractor. The steering gear and the seat are all
that are missing. I'm looking for any information including the
color, year made, etc., and would like to correspond with other
owners of Empire tractors. Any replies will be appreciated.
John Austin Ellsworth, 112 W. Third St., Lewes, DE
19958.

27/6/50 Briggs & Stratton Q. I have a
generator set with a Briggs & Stratton Mode! 23 engine. It is a
beltdriven Winco generator, 115/230 volts, 15/15 amps, and 3600
r.p.m., built by Winchester Corporation, Sioux City, Iowa. Can
anyone tell me the year built, or provide any service information?
The generator is Model 305B29S-3M/A. I also have a Witte engine,
No. B39780. When was it built? James Oster, 4 Julia Ave.,
Chicopee, MA 01020.

A. As noted earlier in this column, sometimes
one can be successful in finding an electric motor shop with the
necessary drawings and schematics pertaining to the above
generator. The Witte engine was built September 1926.

27/6/51 IHC Grain Binder Q. See the photo of an
IHC grain binder. Can anyone supply any information as to the age
of this unit, the color scheme, etc.? Gene Bishop, Rt 2, Box
155-A, Willis, VA 24380.

A. We would suggest looking for an old
operator's book and parts book at the swap meets or from the
book dealers. Next, we would suggest the reprint of the IHC Catalog
which pictures the binder in color. It is available from GEM.

27/6/52 Starting Up. See the photo of a
1/3 HP motor belted to a 1 ? HP gas engine.
This setup turns the engine over to aid in starting. Before
starting, close the needle valve, open the air intake, and hold
exhaust valve open until flywheel rolls good, let up on exhaust
valve, open needle valve, and close down air intake until engine
runs smoothly. Remove belt and fine tune the gas and the timing.
Lotus W. Alexander, 1448 Franklin St., Columbus, IN 47201.

27/6/53 Monitor Engine Q. My husband has been
in the old gas engine business for a long time. Now I have my own
engine-a Monitor Type VJ, 1? HP, s/n 43202.

The engine was given to me by a friend. It appears to be
complete, but it has a homemade ignition system. We haven't
started it yet-we need to know the oil capacity and the timing mark
locations. Where might I find an operator's manual? Can anyone
help? Edith L. Poulson, PO Box 325, Mayer, AZ 86333.

A. This is a Hercules JK model. They were built
in the 1929-34 period.

27/6/55 ASME Information Walt Taubeneck, 11801
52nd Drive NE, Marysville, WA 98270 writes that some historical
information is available from the ASME. For instance, they have a
book entitled, 'National Historic Mechanical Engineering
Landmarks.' Further information is available from: Public
Information Department, American Society of Mechanical Engineers,
345 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017.

27/6/56 Magnet Chargers Q. See the two photos
of Weidenhoff chargers. The smaller one uses 12 volts DC, and
weighs about 15 pounds. The larger one weighs about 100 pounds. It
too is a Weidenhoff, but operates off 110 volts AC. Any information
on using these chargers will be appreciated. Edgar M. Miller, 946
Deer Park Rd., Westminster, MD 21157.

A. When recharging magnets, establish the N and
S poles of the charger with a decent compass. Don't get too
close, or you'll simply change the polarity of the needle! Also
establish the polarity of the magnet, and always place unlike poles
adjacent to each other. There is nothing to be gained in reversing
the original polarity of the magnets. We can tell you that for our
part, the big Weidenhoff with the Tungar bulb rectifiers is far
better than the smaller version. The big one has something like
3000 amp-turns and it can sock a charge to an Alnico magnet.
Amp-turns means that there are sufficient turns on the magnets so
that if this was a single coil of wire, it would pass 3000 amperes!
Although we've charged a lot of magnets, we don't have any
kind of manual or instructions. Does anyone have a copy of this
information they could photocopy for Mr. Miller?

27/6/58 Cletrac Information Needed Q. What is
the proper color for a 1942 Cletrac AG-6 crawler? I also have a
1930 Model 35 Caterpillar with a factory hydraulic dozer. What is
its proper color? Also the colors for the 2? HP Lauson and the
Coldwell Hit-and-Miss models. Roger Bloom, RD 3, Box 6, Arcadia
Rd., Goshen, NY 10924.

A. Cletrac Orange is Martin-Senour 90T-3728 or
Ditzler 60583. We have early Cat Yellow as being Martin-Senour
90T2451 Yellow. There is also Cat Yellow #2 which is Martin-Senour
90T306. We're not sure when the color changes were made. Can
anyone supply the colors for these two engines?

Readers Write

27/4/9 John Deere L In this number, it states
that Mr. Green's Model L is a 1934 model. This must be a
misprint because the Model L was not introduced until late 1937 and
they had a top shift transmission made by Spicer Mfg. Company. This
transmission was used on Model L tractors up to s/n 628999.
Beginning with s/n 629000 the top shift transmission was replaced
with a side shift transmission built by John Deere. The photos
clearly show a side shift transmission, so Mr. Green's tractor
was built between August 1939 and June 1946, when this tractor was
discontinued. Donald Z. O'Bier, Star Route, Box 584, Lottsburg,
VA 22511.

27/6/14 Is A Sheffield The engine shown on this
number is a Sheffield used by the railroad on motor cars. I had one
just like the one pictured. There was a hand clutch on the flywheel
side (note long crankshaft in picture). I built a small car and
used the engine on it. When I got it licensed, the Department of
Motor Vehicles for West Virginia named it a 1938 Sheffield. The
only reverse it had was to idle the engine, reverse the spark so
engine would backfire, and reverse direction. It would go as fast
in reverse as it would forward. I traded it for a 1924 Model TT
Ford truck. I am trying now to get it back from the man I traded it
to after 55 years. The engine was built in the late 1920s I would
guess. R. W. Doss, 5950 Wilson Dr., Huntington, WV 25705.

Hocking Valley Mfg. Company

Regarding this query, it appears that Hocking Valley Mfg.
Company was organized as early as 1869. Theodore Mithoff became
sole owner in 1883. Initially they made threshers and horse powers.
A little later they added rotary harrows, feed cutters and post
hole diggers. Later on they added grain drills and corn shelters.
The latter became very popular and were built in large quantities.
The company went out of business about 1937. Thanks to Bob Crist,
1500 Graylock St., Lancaster, OH 43130 for sending this
information.

Maynard Engine Information I agree with the
statement that the 1916 Maynard models from the Charles Williams
Stores were not supplied by Nelson, but most likely from Jacobson.
However, a 1919 manual and parts list shows that these engines are
clearly from Nelson Bros. In fact, the entire manual is exactly
word for word like the Nelson Jumbo manual. This type of vendor
changing explains some of the confusion with the list of Nelson
names. I would continue to be wary, however, of any of these which
clearly do not exhibit the Nelson design marks. I found my magneto
bracket to be 303K37 for the 1? HP model. None of the pictured
engines had the vertical exhaust style as on mine.

I would like to add my stated interest in Bluffton information,
and interest in the later 1? HP Maynard, and will continue to
research all Nelson-related information I can locate. Depending on
the response I get from GEM readers, I may place an ad for
applicable documentation and/or pictures for possibly compiling a
more detailed GEM article in the future.

Many thanks to Mark T. Baier, 11 Pleasant Street, Milford, MA
01757 for spending a great amount of time trying to sort this one
out! We know that Nelson built engines for numerous vendors, but
the extent of this has been difficult to ascertain. Mark has also
done a lot of work in establishing the common points of design
among the Associated and its clones; likewise with the Sandy
McManus line-its clones include the John Smythe, Faultless,
Hartman, and many others. We'll try to use this information in
a coming issue. Thanks again!

27/3/3 Lauson Military. This is a World War Two
engine, part of a portable gasoline heater for ground use to heat
cabins for work crews, and to warm aircraft engines for winter
starts, de-ice wings, etc. It was a Stewart-Warner heater. Portable
on two small retractable wheels with a tubing handle and a sheet
metal handle and a sheet metal skid bottom. It had a Roots blower
for gasoline mix to burner and engine. The (HOT) on the engine
referred to both the engine and burner and the flexible ducts. The
shielded ignition was because of radio noise interference to
aircraft and control towers at the airport. (Clark tugs also had
shielded ignition developed at Wright Field where I worked for 29
years.) The engine has a squirrel cage blower on the long shaft
that was coupled to the Roots blower. The oil sump is a plunger
pump that pumps oil into a trough. The connecting rod splashes in
the trough. A word of caution: These pump plungers stick and cause
oil failure. I used one of these engines on a cement mixer in 1946,
and still have it. I took the bottom oil sumps off and used a steel
plate and gasket on the bottom. I made a carburetor flange and
brazed it to a round intake pipe and to another flange to fit the
engine, and used a small engine carburetor. I could set the
butterfly by hand to the desired speed. It is a good running
engine. The round handle was opened and closed for starting the
engine, then running the burner. The engine magneto fired one
engine plug and one burner plug. The switch grounded the magneto to
stop the unit. Speed control of the engine was a screw plug with a
lock nut in the manifold. Floyd E. Stahl, 110 N. Adams St., New
Carlisle, OH 45344-1801.

Thanks also to Alex H. Benke, Route 32, Box 175-Z, San Antonio,
TX 78249. He sent a letter containing the same information on the
above question.

27/3/15 Fordson Inquiry. On all Fordsons, the
serial number is stamped on the motor on the righthand side (near
the front-most intake and exhaust manifold flanges). Sometimes
owners turned the manifold upside down and used an updraft
carburetor. This would cover up the number which is found between
the two front 'port holes' and about a half inch below the
head. However, with interchangeable parts, it may not be an
original engine. Some replacement engines are marked with an
'R' prefix, others are smaller length numbers.

As for colors, Fordson American 'F' Gray is DuPont Dulux
015. Fordson Red is DuPont Dulux 028H. The official Ford 8-N
yellowish gray is close, while the Ford 9-N takes a more battleship
blue-gray, not too far from X-0 Rust's 'Machinery
Gray.' X-0 Rust Blue is similar to the English's Coventry
Blue used on the English Fordson 'N' models, but the X-0
Rust Orange is too 'orangish' and needs to be toned down.
When faded out, it is closer. Jack Heald, National Director,
Fordson Tractor Club, 250 Robinson Road, Cave Junction, OR
97523.

27/2/13 Gladden Corporation. While I have not
seen a Busy Bee 5 HP of Larry Myer's, I am a bit familiar with
Gladden Corporation. They started during World War Two producing
aircraft parts, primarily landing gear struts, and the Busy Bee I
am told for auxiliary generators aboard aircraft. After the war,
production centered around engines similar to a Briggs 7 HP of the
era, in 4, 5, and 7? HP ranges. They were quality products with a
cast steel block and an insert rod bearing on a crank running on
tapered roller bearings. For service information on the Gladden
line see any of the Small Engine Service Manuals through the 7th
Edition.

No doubt what kept production alive on these engines from 1947
to 1965 was the production of a sister engine for the Mustang
scooter. It was what every scooter enthusiast wanted, and I am sure
there are lots of GEM readers that remember the Mustang. Thousands
were made, and restored machines fetch high prices today. Wallace
Skyrman, 4588 Pacific Hwy North, Central Point, OR 97502.

A Closing Word

We just got a couple of photos of an unidentified engine, so
we'll include them here as Query 27/6/59. The engine is owned
by Walter Isham, 123 Raymond Drive, Hampden, MA 01036. This engine
features a three-piece casting...note four hold down bolts through
the hopper. The engine is marked 3 HP, and has a dry head. Any
information will be greatly appreciated.

Since we're past 30 pages of typewritten copy this month,
we'll close here, and see you again next month.

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